


Seeing but not observing

by benedictedcumberbatched



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 17:11:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benedictedcumberbatched/pseuds/benedictedcumberbatched
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short one-shot set right before Sherlock's return. John and Mary visit Sherlock's grave on the two year anniversary of his fall. But they don't realize they are being watched. A sort of companion piece to "All you have to do is believe."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeing but not observing

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on the last scene in The Reichenbach Fall and clips from Sherlock Series 3 trailers. Characters do not belong to me, they belong to the wonderful Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and to BBC Sherlock creators, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.

It had been nearly two years since Sherlock had plummeted from the roof of Bart’s and one year since John had nearly done the same. His visits with his therapist had become few and far between, his gun safely locked away in a lock box at his flat. He had moved out of 221B shortly after his near jump, but continued to visit Mrs. Hudson at Speedy’s when he was in the area. He had been working at the surgery near his flat and would meet Molly for coffee once every couple of weeks to catch up.

While he continued his connections with those in his past, no one was more important than Mary Morstan. After their eventful first meeting and coffee, he had made sure to make a date or two with her shortly after. It was Mary after all, who helped him get the job at the surgery. John still woke up some nights in a sweat, chest heaving as if he had just run a marathon, as he remembered the sight of Sherlock falling to the pavement, his signature coat flying out behind him like a kite that wouldn’t catch the wind, before hearing the wet crack of a human body collapsing under the force of hitting the ground.

It was Mary, who had moved in relatively quickly, who woke with him on those nights, as John buried his face in his hands, and wrapped her arms around him, comforting him as best as she could. John had told her just about everything from those six months prior to meeting her. He hadn’t told her why he had been at Bart’s the day they met, nor would he, but if John were honest with himself, not only did seeing that message from the rooftop keep him from taking a step off the edge, but Mary saved him from himself. It had been a couple months after meeting Mary that John one day found himself no longer using his cane and instead of keeping it stored in a closet, he tossed it in the nearest bin. It was for these reasons he was marrying her.

\---

On the two-year anniversary, John marched along the familiar path. Sherlock would have scoffed at the sentiment, a sound John could still hear in his head to that day. Pausing slightly, he took a deep breath as his eyes fell upon the black stone. “Two years, mate…” John murmured, hand reaching out to touch the top of the cool stone. The flowers that had been planted in front of the stone shortly after the funeral were in bloom. John saw Mary approach and he took her hand. It had gotten easier to cope with Sherlock being gone but it was always around this time of the year that John was at his lowest. He was grateful Mary understood that.

“He’d want you to be happy,” she said to John, losing count as to how many times she had told him as much.

John took a deep breath, steeling himself as he straightened up, much like he had each time he came to this place. “I know. That’s why I’m so lucky to have you,” he replied, looking at her before gesturing to leave. “Until next year, Sherlock.”

Mary and John traipsed among the tombstones hand in hand. Neither looked back over their shoulders but if they had, they might have seen the tall, curly-haired man watching them from the tree line.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I know it's short but please please let me know what you think. Thank you for reading!


End file.
